National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu has warned that military operations alone cannot bring lasting peace to communities affected by banditry in Sokoto State, identifying five priority areas requiring coordinated action by security agencies, government institutions and local communities. He said addressing the crisis would require stronger intelligence gathering, effective border security, public trust, economic recovery and measures to prevent young people from joining armed criminal groups.
Ribadu made the remarks on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at a security brainstorming session in Sokoto organised by the Sokoto Advancement Forum in collaboration with the Centre for Peace Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University. The National Security Adviser was represented by the Director of Legal Services in his office, Zakari Usman Mijinyawa, who delivered his address to security officials, traditional rulers, academics, government representatives and civil society organisations. The meeting focused on developing practical measures to prevent attacks, contain armed groups and strengthen the resilience of affected communities.
The National Security Adviser explained that banditry in Sokoto had developed beyond cattle rustling, highway robbery and kidnapping into a wider security threat involving territorial control, illegal taxation of rural residents and the disruption of economic activities. He said the state's proximity to the Republic of Niger and the wider Sahel region had introduced a cross-border dimension, allowing armed groups to exploit poorly secured routes and weaknesses in regional security arrangements.
“Sokoto’s proximity to the Republic of Niger and the wider Sahel adds a significant cross-border dimension to this challenge,” Ribadu said, calling for intelligence-led operations, effective border management and regional cooperation. He maintained that security agencies must also disrupt the movement of illegal weapons and other supplies that sustain criminal activities across national boundaries.
The first priority identified by Ribadu was denying armed groups access to safe havens through sustained security operations around vulnerable settlements, forest corridors and border communities. He said military deployments should be supported by coordinated intelligence and cooperation among relevant security institutions, including the armed forces, police and civil defence authorities. The National Security Adviser also identified State Forest Guards and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Agro-Rangers as important partners in protecting communities and agricultural areas exposed to attacks.
His second priority centred on strengthening intelligence-sharing and early-warning systems to enable security agencies to respond more quickly to emerging threats. Ribadu called for effective communication between local government authorities, traditional rulers, community representatives and security personnel, particularly in areas where residents face repeated attacks. He specifically identified Sabon Birni, Isa, Tangaza and Goronyo as locations requiring improved arrangements for reporting suspicious movements and other security concerns.
The National Security Adviser stressed that intelligence gathered from communities would be useful only when it reached the appropriate authorities and resulted in timely action. He also emphasised the need to protect sensitive information and the identities of people assisting security agencies, arguing that residents would be more willing to cooperate when they trusted the authorities to respond professionally and safeguard their security.
Building public confidence in security institutions formed the third priority of the proposed strategy. Ribadu called for greater engagement with traditional rulers, religious leaders, women, young people and other community stakeholders to address grievances, discourage ethnic hostility and counter extremist narratives. He maintained that professional policing, impartial law enforcement and respect for human rights were essential to building cooperation between security agencies and the communities they were responsible for protecting.
The fourth priority focused on restoring agriculture and other rural economic activities disrupted by insecurity. Ribadu said security planning should protect farming communities, rural transportation routes, markets, schools and healthcare facilities, recognising that attacks and restrictions on movement had affected livelihoods beyond the immediate loss of lives and property. He urged authorities to consider agricultural calendars when planning security operations and to support the safe and voluntary return of families displaced by violence.
The National Security Adviser argued that restoring economic activity was an important measure of whether security interventions were delivering meaningful results. He said clearing territories or arresting suspects would have limited lasting impact if residents remained unable to cultivate their farms, conduct business or send their children to school. For this reason, he called for sustained government presence in communities recovered from armed groups to prevent renewed attacks and support the restoration of essential services.
Preventing the recruitment of young people into criminal networks was the fifth priority outlined during the meeting. Ribadu identified economic hardship and limited opportunities as factors that could make vulnerable youths susceptible to recruitment by armed groups, calling for improved access to education, vocational training and legitimate livelihoods. He also supported lawful rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for eligible individuals willing to abandon violence, while insisting that such arrangements must include appropriate screening and accountability.
“Reintegration must never replace justice or reward violence,” he said, stressing that programmes involving former members of armed groups must comply with the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. His remarks distinguished efforts to support lawful disengagement from criminal activity from the responsibility of authorities to investigate offences and prosecute those responsible.
Ribadu also outlined measures already being pursued by the Federal Government, including coordinated military operations, intelligence gathering and efforts to reduce the circulation of illegal firearms. He disclosed that the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons had recovered 5,449 firearms and destroyed 1,419 illicit weapons during recent nationwide operations. According to him, the cumulative number of weapons destroyed since 2022 had exceeded 19,000, while Operation Fansan Yamma remained a major framework for coordinating security activities across the North-West.
Speaking earlier at the event, the Chairman of the Sokoto Advancement Forum, Professor Mohammad Ahmad Wali, expressed concern about the scale of insecurity affecting the state. He said attacks had been recorded in 21 of Sokoto's 23 local government areas and reported that more than 1,100 people had been kidnapped during the 12 months ending in June 2026. Wali presented the figures as evidence of the need for a coordinated response involving government authorities, security agencies and local communities.
The forum chairman also referred to an attack in Tsamaye, Sabon Birni Local Government Area, in August 2026, in which at least 21 people were reported killed and 37 abducted. He acknowledged existing federal and state security interventions but maintained that the persistence of attacks required improved intelligence, effective border control, community participation and economic opportunities for young people.
The Vice-Chairman of the forum, Professor Riskuwa Arabu Shehu, urged participants to develop recommendations that could be translated into measurable action. He said the organisation intended to compile the outcome of the discussions into a report and communiqué for submission to government authorities, security agencies and community stakeholders. The proposed recommendations would address security coordination, community engagement, livelihood protection and arrangements for monitoring implementation.
Ribadu concluded that progress against banditry should not be assessed solely through military statistics, including arrests, recovered weapons or territories cleared of armed groups. He maintained that the effectiveness of security operations must also be reflected in the restoration of everyday life for affected residents.
“Success must also mean safer communities, returning families, productive farms, reopened schools, functioning markets and the restoration of public confidence,” the National Security Adviser said.
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